West Torrens Cricket Club
Encyclopedia
The West Torrens District Cricket Club ("Western Eagles") is a semi-professional cricket club in Adelaide, South Australia. It competes in the West End Grade Cricket Competition
, which is administered by the South Australian Cricket Association
(SACA).
The Western Eagles field four senior teams and nine junior teams and are based at Henley & Grange Memorial Oval. Other grounds used by the club include Henley High School, Jubilee Oval and Lockleys North PS.
The club has won 13 A grade premierships http://www.westerneagles.com/stats/CPrems.asp with the last being in 2006/07, breaking a 45 year premiership drought. The Eagles have also won 4 West End Cup (One Day) Premierships (1971/72, 1972/73, 1993/94 and 2003/04). During the past 5 years the club has become one of the strongest in the South Australian Grade Cricket League
, winning lower grade premierships in 1995/96, 2002/03 & 2007/08 (B Grade), 2003/04, 2004/05 & 2006/07 (C Grade) and winning the SACA Club Championship in 2004/05 and 2006/07.
The club currently boasts a wealth of young talent including West End Redbacks
State Squad & 2nd XI squad members Peter George
, Callum Ferguson
Aiden Blizzard
and James Smith
. Season 2011/12 has also seen the addition of former Victorian keeper and Adelaide Strikers
contract holder Adam Crosthwaite
and former Australian Test spinner Daniel Cullen.
) and has continued, with only a change of name in 1897, until the present day, making it the oldest cricket club in South Australia.
The club moved to Thebarton Oval
in 1921 where it remained until 1988 when it transferred to the adjacent King's Reserve. A lack of junior players and inadequate facilities saw a final move to the Henley and Grange Memorial Oval for the 1997-98 season.
and Ian Chappell
played Test cricket for Australia while West Torrens players. Merv Waite (Australia), Jeff Crowe
(New Zealand), Gladstone Small
(England) and Jason Gallian
(England) played Test cricket soon after leaving West Torrens. Matthew Elliott
also represented Australia before playing 2 seasons for the Eagles after transferring from the Victorian Bushrangers
to the West End Redbacks
.
Rick Darling
, Rod McCurdy and Bradley Young
have been Australian one day international representatives and Charlie Walker, Phil Ridings
were members of Australian touring teams.http://www.westerneagles.com/main/theclub.asp
Former player and club coach Tim Nielsen
is former coach of the Australian Cricket Team. Current club captain Callum Ferguson
has represented Australia and South Australia. Vice captain Trent Kelly represented both West End Redbacks
and the Western Warriors
.
South Australian Grade Cricket League
South Australian Grade Cricket is the semi-professional State league based in metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia. It is currently the highest level of cricket played in South Australia outside first class cricket...
, which is administered by the South Australian Cricket Association
South Australian Cricket Association
The South Australian Cricket Association is the peak body for the sport of cricket in South Australia. The association runs Adelaide Oval and the Southern Redbacks based in Adelaide, South Australia. SACA is the controlling body for the South Australian Grade Cricket League...
(SACA).
The Western Eagles field four senior teams and nine junior teams and are based at Henley & Grange Memorial Oval. Other grounds used by the club include Henley High School, Jubilee Oval and Lockleys North PS.
The club has won 13 A grade premierships http://www.westerneagles.com/stats/CPrems.asp with the last being in 2006/07, breaking a 45 year premiership drought. The Eagles have also won 4 West End Cup (One Day) Premierships (1971/72, 1972/73, 1993/94 and 2003/04). During the past 5 years the club has become one of the strongest in the South Australian Grade Cricket League
South Australian Grade Cricket League
South Australian Grade Cricket is the semi-professional State league based in metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia. It is currently the highest level of cricket played in South Australia outside first class cricket...
, winning lower grade premierships in 1995/96, 2002/03 & 2007/08 (B Grade), 2003/04, 2004/05 & 2006/07 (C Grade) and winning the SACA Club Championship in 2004/05 and 2006/07.
The club currently boasts a wealth of young talent including West End Redbacks
Southern Redbacks
The South Australia cricket team, nicknamed the Southern Redbacks and known as the West End Redbacks due to their sponsorship agreement with local brewers West End, are an Australian first class cricket team based in Adelaide, South Australia, and represent the state of South Australia...
State Squad & 2nd XI squad members Peter George
Peter George (cricketer)
Peter Robert George is an Australian Test cricketer. A right-arm fast-medium bowler, George plays his first class cricket for the Southern Redbacks.- Profile :...
, Callum Ferguson
Callum Ferguson
Callum James Ferguson is an Australian cricketer who currently plays Australian Domestic cricket for South Australia.He represented Australia at Under 19 level and debuted for the Australia one-day side in 2009...
Aiden Blizzard
Aiden Blizzard
Aiden Craig Blizzard is an Australian cricketer who is a member of the Southern Redbacks side. An aggressive left-handed batsman, his hit 89 from 38 balls on his Twenty20 debut for the Victorian Bushrangers on New Years Day 2007. His innings included 8 sixes. In 2004 he toured India and Sri Lanka...
and James Smith
James Smith
-Sports figures:*James Smith *James Smith , American boxer, nicknamed "Bonecrusher"*James Smith , footballer...
. Season 2011/12 has also seen the addition of former Victorian keeper and Adelaide Strikers
Adelaide Strikers
The Adelaide Strikers is a cricket team based in Adelaide that plays in the Big Bash League.The Strikers will wear a predominantly blue kit, with red and yellow trimmings. They will play their home games at Adelaide Oval....
contract holder Adam Crosthwaite
Adam Crosthwaite
Adam John Crosthwaite in Melbourne, Victoria is an Australian cricketer who plays for the Victorian Bushrangers. He is a wicketkeeper and aggressive right-handed batsman who played a part in Australia's Under-19 World Cup win in 2002....
and former Australian Test spinner Daniel Cullen.
History
The Club began in 1862 as the Hindmarsh Cricket Club with its headquarters at Lindsay Circus (now Hindmarsh StadiumHindmarsh Stadium
Hindmarsh Stadium is a rectangular stadium located in Adelaide, South Australia. It is the home of the Australian A-League team, Adelaide United....
) and has continued, with only a change of name in 1897, until the present day, making it the oldest cricket club in South Australia.
The club moved to Thebarton Oval
Thebarton Oval
Thebarton Oval was formerly the home ground of SANFL club West Torrens who played their last game at the ground in on 2 September 1989 ending a run of 68 seasons at Thebby Oval...
in 1921 where it remained until 1988 when it transferred to the adjacent King's Reserve. A lack of junior players and inadequate facilities saw a final move to the Henley and Grange Memorial Oval for the 1997-98 season.
Famous players
Many famous names have worn the blue and gold cap. Affie Jarvis, Jack O'Connor, Ron Hamence, Bruce Dooland, Graham Hole, David HookesDavid Hookes
David William Hookes was an Australian cricketer, broadcaster and coach of the Victorian cricket team. An aggressive left-handed batsman, Hookes usually batted in the middle order...
and Ian Chappell
Ian Chappell
Ian Michael Chappell is a former cricketer who played for South Australia and Australia. He captained Australia between 1971 and 1975 before taking a central role in the breakaway World Series Cricket organisation...
played Test cricket for Australia while West Torrens players. Merv Waite (Australia), Jeff Crowe
Jeff Crowe
Jeffrey John Crowe is a former New Zealand cricketer. He is the son of Dave Crowe and elder brother of Martin Crowe. They are cousins of Oscar winning actor, Russell Crowe....
(New Zealand), Gladstone Small
Gladstone Small
Gladstone Cleophas Small is an English former cricketer, who played in seventeen Tests and fifty three ODIs for England....
(England) and Jason Gallian
Jason Gallian
Jason Edward Riche Gallian is a former English Test cricketer. A right-handed opening batsman, he originally hails from Australia and captained their Under-19 side for two Under-19 Tests in 1989 and 1990. He played three Test matches for England, but disappointed, with a highest score of 28 in six...
(England) played Test cricket soon after leaving West Torrens. Matthew Elliott
Matthew Elliott
Matthew Thomas Gray Elliott is a former Australian cricketer. Elliott is a left-handed opening batsman.-Beginnings with Victoria:...
also represented Australia before playing 2 seasons for the Eagles after transferring from the Victorian Bushrangers
Victorian Bushrangers
The Victorian cricket team, nicknamed the Bushrangers, is an Australian cricket team based in Melbourne, that represents the state of Victoria. It is administered by Cricket Victoria and draws its players from Melbourne's Premier Cricket competition...
to the West End Redbacks
Southern Redbacks
The South Australia cricket team, nicknamed the Southern Redbacks and known as the West End Redbacks due to their sponsorship agreement with local brewers West End, are an Australian first class cricket team based in Adelaide, South Australia, and represent the state of South Australia...
.
Rick Darling
Rick Darling
Warwick Maxwell "Rick" Darling is a former Australian Test cricketer.Darling is the great-nephew of Joe Darling, and learnt to play cricket at his family's home at Ramco on the Murray River. He played for the Salisbury district club in 1970–71, and started his first-class career in 1975–76 with...
, Rod McCurdy and Bradley Young
Bradley Young
Bradley Evan Young is a former Australian cricketer. A left-arm orthodox spinner who was also an aggressive lower order right hand batsman, Young played six One Day Internationals for Australia in the 1998/99 period...
have been Australian one day international representatives and Charlie Walker, Phil Ridings
Phil Ridings
Phil Lovett Ridings was an Australian cricketer.Ridings made 107 first-class appearances for South Australia, scoring 9 hundreds. Primarily a batsman, he also took 61 first-class wickets with his fast-medium pace bowling...
were members of Australian touring teams.http://www.westerneagles.com/main/theclub.asp
Former player and club coach Tim Nielsen
Tim Nielsen
Timothy John Nielsen is a former South Australia state cricketer and formerly the head coach of the Australian cricket team. Nielsen played 101 first-class matches for his state between 1990–91 and 1998–99....
is former coach of the Australian Cricket Team. Current club captain Callum Ferguson
Callum Ferguson
Callum James Ferguson is an Australian cricketer who currently plays Australian Domestic cricket for South Australia.He represented Australia at Under 19 level and debuted for the Australia one-day side in 2009...
has represented Australia and South Australia. Vice captain Trent Kelly represented both West End Redbacks
Southern Redbacks
The South Australia cricket team, nicknamed the Southern Redbacks and known as the West End Redbacks due to their sponsorship agreement with local brewers West End, are an Australian first class cricket team based in Adelaide, South Australia, and represent the state of South Australia...
and the Western Warriors
Western Warriors
The Western Australia cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team representing the state of Western Australia...
.